Ode to Elland: A Season’s Review!
By; John Hague M.A.
The season had fully begun
And, maybe this year it would be fun?
From south of the river did Millwall come
Only to be defeated two goals to one!
The second week and Cardiff away
Elland faithful at the land of the Sheep to play
But valiant effort would not succeed
The seasons first defeat a noted creed?
The white’s next to Kenilworth did move
To redeem their loss; Elland’s aim!
The Hatter’s and Elland clashed
With a goalless draw victory’s plan hashed!
Elland at home again and a winning score to gain?
With Wolverhampton Wanderers; onto defeat impose
With the wolf kept the from the door
Leeds with a winning score
Could this coming week be the same?
With, victory against the Lactics, in the second game
The white faithful didn’t have to wait long
As a two nil victory filled Elland’s heart with song!
Next Delia’s men came along
And Norwich were without a tweet
Going one nil down, the Canneries were beat
With Leeds fans off their seats in celebration complete!
Now the third Saturday will arrive
But for Leeds, there will be no surprise
The leagues will not play
As Sven has taken them all away!
Brighton did leave the coast and northward roam
To Elland, to victory lest be – moan!
The Gulls did thrice score
But the whites pulled back to draw
On Tuesday night did Wednesday Meet!
Did the White’s expect a treat
Their metal to be steeled at Hillsboro’s gate
But one-nil the result befit their fate
On Saturday southward did Elland march
To Loftus; Queen’s Park; what a lark!
Winning one nil did victorious fans smile
But Healey’s conduct the referee anger be-guile
Carling’s fixture and, Elland face Rotherham
With a two – nil victory it didn’t “bother em”.
A Yorkshire rival they had defeated
But would Portman’s challenge, leave Elland depleted
The Tractor boys Onward to Elland did roll
Ploughing two goals into the net
Leeds’ losing state; Creswell’s effort could not re-deem
With a missed penalty the whites had run out of steam!
On Wednesday night were Derby County met
For Elland a safe bet?
Ashton hatrick a cause of the Rams defeat
And the white army danced to victory’s beat!
Saturday to Watford and a gap to close
Could Elland‘s stories of victory be told
A nil-nil draw; with no goals to compare
Left Leeds and, Vickeridge’s faithful a point to share
A battle of the Roses; White within and red without
Elland’s two – one win received with glorious shout
But in the tunnel did Burnley’s men in anger flare
Elland victory at Turf Moore without compare!
Midweek action did Elland - Road await!
With Saintly visitors at the gate
Leeds two goals: enough to winning collate
Despite Southampton’s goal; to St Mary’s loss in - grate!
At home Elland did Sheffield United receive
The Blades with sharpened victory conceive!
With ninety minuets complete;
A one - all draw with neither in defeat
The Coca Cola cup; Elland’s boys away
Could then victory’s fortune a sway
Blackburn the stronger team on the night
Did three nil defeat causing the white’s a fright!
Reading next on Saturday away did meet
Marching southward the white army’s tramping feet
But disappointment endure; victory’s chance slipping past
With one apiece at the final whistle’s blast!
The 1st November and Crewe away
Victory for Elland the fans would pray
But defeat Elland could not keep at bay
As Crewe single goal would in victory pay!
Elland did Preston next encounter
To Lancashire the fans did travel
But North End’s men did hard compete
A goalless draw; one point each, did fortune greet
Next with festive cheer did Coventry encroach
All tied at half time this was no joke!
The Leeds faithful would with two goals delight
Giving victory at the “Sky – Blues “flight
A Continued festive onslaught at Stoke
Leeds in victory one – nil did croak
A missed Penalty from the spot
Left the potter’s with a broken china pot!!
The White’s did next meet the men from Humberside
Elland’s aim to turn the tide!
A two goal victory: the tigers at bay
Back to the east coast with defeat in play
Elland southward to Plymouth did travel
To Home Park; with the pilgrims to dabble
The White’s three goals did the pilgrims progress stop
Could Elland be once more heading for the top?
Away to Wigan in the cup: a safe bet
Elland’s faithful confident they would not fret
But Walton sent off; disaster strikes with Wigan’ goal
The white’s equalise: a replays prospect to toal
A second fixture with Brighton away
Elland’s men southward hove’d to play
But fortune for the gulls would remain; a fixture set in time
The White’s without a winning score since “1989”
Mid week the F.A. Cup again did call
Leeds confident that Wigan would fall
But a hard penalty would decide
With Elland to defeat collide
Onto Sheffield and a second stab at the Blades
A goalless first half could Leeds make the winning grade?
Elland delivered three goals in rapid reel
Left Sheffield without a victory steeled.
January’s end: the tractor boys away!
Ploughing ever southward all to play
But a hard fought fight
A one all draw: victory out of sight
Back on Yorkshire’s famed earth
Elland’s men greet QPR with mirth
The White’s two – nil victory did achieve
With the Loftus Park faithful in defeat aggrieved!
For the second time the Rams be sought
At the Baseball ground County and Elland fought
The game did ebb and flow: a goalless conclusion
The White’s lacking a winning fusion!
Valentine’s night and, Leeds at Vickeridge Road
The Whites in winning mode
A two – nil win: No love lost
Watford’s further misfortune having two sent off!
Southward to Walker’s Stadium Elland onward to Leicester meet
The White’s aim to out smart the foxes cunning streak!
Leicester were to take the lead with lightning speed
But a penalty gave a tied reprieve!
At home again to Luton Town
But Elland boys were not to be tied down
The Hatter’s with ten men were to fail!
A two – one defeat leaving the White’s with happiness impaled
Down south to the Eagle’s nest
Elland aim upon Crystal palace a victory to invest!
Elland with a two – one win
Left a shattered palace with a shattering grin!
Now that the seasons near complete
Did Elland again hear the Canaries tweet!
Despite ninety minuets of effort toiled
A two – all draw at Elland victory spoiled
To Coventry; did Elland Silently steal
The “Sky Blues” to defeat with a winning appeal!
But Leeds were to be held at the penalty spot
One all the final score; and a point earned; their final lot
Midweek and, at Elland; Crystal Palace to host
The Eagles the better team did victory boast!
A forty third minute goal cleanly struck
Left the Whites; out of luck
Saturday and, at home to Stoke
But this fixture would be no joke!
The Potters driving on the wheel
Whenst nil – nil did toal at the final whistle’s peel
All Fools Day and, Elland cross the Humber to play a reckoning
With three points at stake: the playoffs would be beckoning!
But the “Tigers” with a header’s bite
Would endure to Leeds a defeated strike!
At home again to Plymouth Argyle
And Elland; seeking victory’s fair smile!
For ninety minutes did the Whites and Pilgrims play
But goalless the score would stay!
At Easter’s high mass were Reading received
The Whites a victory to be conceived
A goal scored by the “Royals” putting them into the lead
But Elland majestically replied a draw the final result to head!
Easter Tuesday and, the White’s away at Bramell Lane
The “Blades;“ with all to play; a victory to gain
Disappointment as one - all, at the final whistle blast
Elland’s thoughts turning to the Promotions race cast!
At home and, on track for the Railwaymen’s pack
Elland’s steaming effort to derail Crewe’s attack
The White’s with a winning score; held to the end
Crewe returning southward home; complete with a losing trend!
The last fixture and the Lilly Whites away
Preston North End to beat and, with victory to sway!
But the Lancashire men did twice score
Elland’s three points no more!
The season’s now at an end, the “Playoffs” for promotion to compete
Leeds draw against North End a winning score to cause a treat!
But Preston were to score was this the end of Elland’s luck
The fans were in despair until Lewis’ equalizer struck!
The second leg and a two – nil victory would Preston allude!
The “Lilly Whites failure due to their ineptitude”
Elland would persevere despite; two sent for the early bath
Hulse and Richardson would score Leeds now on the winning path!
From Elland to Cardiff and the Playoff with Watford to decide
Third time lucky it wouldn't be and defeat for the White's contrived
Watford with three goals scored; their efforts a winning step
Leed's failure; another year; from the Premiership kept!
With May's twilight the seasons come to an end
Lengthy efforts sustained for victory to befriend!
With fifty - one competitive game played home and away
Disappointments for the faithful; as hope lies in victory betray!
Look now to review; in statistical result compare
With gusto; twenty four games won; in fierce competitions glare
But eighteen times Elland suffered defeat and, a dozen drawn
The harshest playoff result would leave the "Whites" forlorn!
